Stephen Hammond is a descendant of William Anderson Syphax who was born about 1773. He lived in Alexandria, VA and was able to purchase his own freedom in 1817. Some of Syphax's children remained enslaved until the 1860's. His son, Charles, was an enslaved butler who belonged to George Washington's step-grandson, George Washington Parke Custis at his Arlington plantation.
Hammond has been researching his family history for decades. He has worked closely with many historical sites including Mount Vernon and Arlington House - the Robert E Lee Memorial, to conduct his research.
During this program, Hammond will provide insight on the basics of African American family history research an how it is different from other genealogy research. He will discuss the experience of researching his own family history and will share some of the interesting documents he has discovered along his journey.
Steve Hammond is a retired federal employee, who spent his entire 40-year career as an earth scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He is now a Scientist Emeritus with the agency. Steve has now swapped his full-time geology work for genealogy and family history research, which he's done as a hobby since grade school. His goals are to educate and inspire others to document their own family history. He has participated in a variety of National Park Service programs at the Arlington House, spoken at the African American Civil War Museum, and the historic Decatur House on Lafayette Square, and has contributed to exhibits at George Washington's Mount Vernon and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Steve is a charter member of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage, and a member of both the African American Historical and Genealogical Society and the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library (Loudoun Co, VA) Black History Committee. He currently serves as a Trustee at his Alma mater, Whitman College.
